Bottle-capping machine.



. PATENTBD MAY 26, 1908. s. WILKINSON.

BOTTLE GAPPING MACHINE.

APP'LIOATION HL-nn KAY24,1807.. 2 sanms-snsm 1. m 8

. ism for preventing the bottle-ca ping mcch- Cii ' with the bracket portions 12, upon which are consists in the employment of a novel pusher STANLEY WILKINSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-GAPP'ING MAHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed May 24, 1.907. Seriai No. 375,416.

T '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STANLEY VViLKINsoN, a citizen of theUnited States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Capping Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. T ldy invention is concernedwitha novel bottle-capping machine, and is designed to simplify and improve upon the construction of such similar machines as have been heretofore devised.

One important feature of my invention l for'forcing the 0818, one by one, froln the supply tube to t e position beneath the plunger which forces them into the bottle.

Other novel features will be described at length in the body of the specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

To illustrate my invention, I annex hereto two sheets of drawings, in which the same reference characters are used to designate identicai parts in all the figures, of which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, with the lower portion of the framework, as Well as a part of the operating handle, broken away; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, with the legs and a portion of the bottle'carrying boxbroken away; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one end of the machine, in section on the line A-A of F ig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail in section on the line BB of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detail showing the detent mechananism from being ,accidenta y lowered; Fig. 6 is a perspective view, on. an enlarged scale, showing one of my improved pushers; Fig. 7 isa detail of the same in its guides, in section on the line UC of Fig. 1 Fig. 8 is a View in section, on an enlarged scale, on the line D--D of Fig. 2 and Fig. 9 is a detached view of one of the shanks supporting the bottle-ca ping mechanism.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the framework of the machine is made up of two end castings 10 and 11, which are provided secured the angle irons L3 wl1ich form the receiving member, in the form of a guide for the box 14, in which the bottles 15 are assembled by the dozen, in two rows of six each, their position in the box being determined with considerable accuracy by the spacing wires 16, shown in Fig. 8. In use,

the bottles are placed in the boxes-14, and are first passed to the filling machine, whence they are slid along on a runway connecting with the supporting member 13, upon which they are shoved with the bottles in register with the capping mechanism proper to be described.

It is desirable to use a single machine for bottles of different capacities, such as half pints, pints and quarts, all of which have pro- 1 vide an auxiliary frame carrying the capping mechanisms proper, which auxiliary frame-is adapted to be vertically adjusted in the main frame. This auxiliary frame is com osed of the two end pieces 17 and 1-8, W ich are mounted to slide in the guideways 19 formed in the end castings 10 and 11, as seen in Fig. 3. The end pieces 17 and 18 are rigidly connected by the frame or cross piece 20, and

further connected by the four'rock shafts 21, 22, 23 and 24, which are best shown in Fig. 8, the various transverse elements giving sufficient rigidity to the auxiliary frame so that it can be readily adjusted up and downby any suitable means, such, for instance, as the pinion 25 meshing with the rack 26 formed on the frame 11 The inion 25 is secured upon the shaft 27, which is journaled in the end pieces 17 and 18 of the auxiliary frame, and is provided with the squared end 28, to which a crank 29 is applied for rotating it. I preferably provide, say three different positions of adjustment to w. ich the auxillary frame'may be brought, and when it is thus positioned, the spring-pressed lungers 30, which are mounted in suitable ousings carried by the ends 17 and. 18 of the auxiliary frame, asshown in detail in Fig. 4, 006 erate with the recesses 31 which are provi ed in the end castings 10 and 11 as seen in Fig. 1, to secure the auxiliary frame in the osition of Mljllstlllfillt chosen to accommor ate the particular size of bottles to be filled. To

quickly release the plungers preparatory to to the links tlvely.

ward. movement forces the caps through the ment resulting from the construction de- I ment of the handle is reversed, the plungers scribed. first ascend without moving the tubes 48,

The actuating mechanism for the apparauntil the heads 64 engage the shoulders tus is preferably composed of the two shafts formed by the bottoms of the forks 46, after 21 and 22, and the connections to be dewhich-the capping mechanism as a whole is scribed. The shaft 2] extends through a raised. During the upward movement of slot 74 in the end casting 11, and is journaled the parts, the toggle lever connections 85 and in bearings in the end pieces 17 and 18. A 86, operated by the rocking of the shafts 23 handle 76 is secured to the shaft, and it is and 24, force the slides 61 inward to push normally held in the operative position of fresh caps into position ready for the next suitable means, such as a operation.

the ,parts by an spring pressed p unger, indicated at 77, car- While I have herein shown and described my invention as provided with means for adried by the handle and cooperatin with a f justing the machine embodying it, for use in notch, not shown, in the segments bearing 78 supported from the end piece 18. The capping bottles of different sizes, such as half pints, pints and quarts, I do not herein claim two shafts 22 and 21 are compelled to rock in unison by reasonof the pinions 79 and 80 this adjusting feature of my invention, as the secured there to and meshing with each other. The shafts 2i and 22 have-secured. thereon, opposite each of the tubes 48, the arms 81, which project through. the slots 49 into the tubes 48, and are pivoted to the links 66, sothat as the shaftsj21 and 22 are rocked the plungers will be raised and lowered. The shaft 22 has connected thereto, b means of the arms 82, the link 83 connecterf to an arm 84 of the rock shaft 24, so that as the shaft 22 is rocked, the shaft 24 will also be rocked, and the shaft 21 has similar connections with the shaft 23, so that it is rocked in the same direction. The slides 61 have pivoted there- 85, which are preferably adjustable in length by a threaded connection (not shown), and are pivoted to the arms 86 se cured to the rock shafts .23 and 24, respec my application No. 353,347, filed January 21, 1907.

While I have shown and described my invention as embodied in the forni which I at present consider best adapted to carry out its purposes, it will be understood that it is capable of modifications, and that I do not desire to be limited in the interpretation ofthe following claims except as may be neces sitated by the state of the rior art. i

What I claim as new, anr desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a device of the class described, the con'ibination with the frame, of the plunger tube movable therein, mechanism moving with the tube, the plumger for seating the ca a rock shaft, connections between the roch shaft andthe for operating the latter, a second roc The operation of the complete ap status is as follows: The machine is first at justed to the particular sized bottles to be capped, and a box havin the filled bottles therein being shoved in p ace beneath the machine, the handle 76 is rocked from the osition shown for rocking the first shaft. in Fig. i, and as it is thus roclied, the shafts 2. In a device of 21 and 22 are rocked in the proper direction combination with the frame, of the two rows to lower the links 66, and conse ucntiy the of bottle-capping mechanisms ada ted to plungers.v Duringthc first part c i the downslide therein, the cap-supplying mec anisms ward movement of the plungers, the ends of the forks 46 of the shanks rest on the head 64, and. the entire apparatus descends until the base pieces 50, and more especially the flanges Fi'l, rest upon the tops of the bottles, after which the continued movement of the plungcrs causes them to descend indcpenrb cntly of the tubes 48, with .the result that they engage the caps. 55, which have been positioned by the s ides 6.1 during their inward movement. Theiircontinued down and the cap-supplying mechanism tooperate the latter, connections between the first rock capping mechanisms, the two parallel rock shafts extending along the bottle-cappin mechanisms outside thereof, the two para-lied rock shafts extending bottle-capping mechanisms, connections between the outer shafts shafts and the bottle-capping mechanisms,

and means for rockin the shafts.

3. In a device of t e class described, the

combination with the frame, of the two rows apertures 52 and onto the seats in the mouths anlsms o the bottles, and the yielding connections slide therein, the cap-supplyin mec connected to and moving, wit

portion permit it not only to but also to allow for c variation in the heights of hotsame capacity. As themovesha ts extending along the bottle-cappin mechanism outside thereof, the two paralle rock shafts extending between the rows of the cap-supplying plungershaft, connections between said second rock shaft.

shaftand the second rock shaft, and means the class described, the

between the rows of of bottle-capping mechanisms adapted to the bottle-1 cap ing mechanisms, the two parallel rock generic claims for that feature are found in connected to and. moving with the. bottle-' and the cap-supplyiilgmechanisms, connections between the inner bottle-capping4nechanisms, connections between the outer shafts and the cap-su p plying mechanisms, connections between the inner shafts and the bottle-capping mechanisms, arm and link connections between the inner and the outer shafts, gear-pinion comiections between the inner shafts, and means for roclc ing one of said shafts. I

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with the frame, of the two rows of bottle-capping mechanisn'is adapted slide therein,- the cap-supplying tubes associated therewith, the slid es adapted to reciprocate beneath said tubes, parallel rock shafts extending between said rows, connections between said rock shafts and the bottle-can ping mechanisms to operate the latter by the rocking of the shafts, the pair of parallel rock shafts extending along the bottle-camiing mechanisms outside thereof, toggle-j oint connections between said outer shafts and the slides, and means for rocking said shafts.

5; In a device of the class described, the co bination with the frame, of the shank sli ing therein, the tube extending below the shank, the plunger loosely sliding therein during alportion of its movement, the capsupply'ing mechanism, and'means for giving the lunger a longer movement than its play in t 1e sleeve to first raise the plunger, then the plunger'and sleeve, and to lower the 'sleeve'and plunger, and finally to lower the plunger alone.

tending below the shank,

- "connected to which the rock between said shaft and the capsupplying 6; In a device of the class described, the combination with the frame, of the slotted shank sliding therein, the slotted tube exthe plunger loosely sliding in the tube for a portion of its move- ,ment, the cap-supplying mechanism, a rock.

airmexten'ding into the slot in the tnh and armis connected, connections mechanism, andlostqmotion connections be the plunger, a rock shin to.

pose descri1 ed. v

7. in a device of the class described, the combination with the frame, of the shank f tween said longer and the tube, for the pun l sliding therein, the tube extending below the shank, the plunger loosely sliding therein For a portion. ol its, 'novermmt, the cap-sir, Jlylng mechanism, lostunotion connections between the pl linger and the tube, and means for reciprocatirig the plunger, said consisting of two telescopic parts and a spring interposed between said parts.

8. In a device of the class described, hho combination with the frame, of the shank sliding therein, the tube extending below the sl'umk', the plunger loose-1;, sliding therein. for a portion of its movement, the "an-sun- )lying mechanism, lost-1notion connections oetwccn the plunger and the tube and means for rcciprocz-iting the plunger, said plunger consisting oi the upper head and lower head and sleeve in which the stem rcciprocates, connections between the stem and the sleeve, and a hehcally-coiled eiqpanding-spring interposed between the two heads.

9. .ln e bottlecapping machine, the conibination with the cap supply tube, of the pusher adapted to reciprocate across one end thereof to discharge the caps one by -one, said pusher having its edges of a thickness less than that of the ca and a strengthen-- ing rib at the center on the outer face thereof, suitable guides for the pusherpreventing an r ventical movement thereof, and means l OI' reciprocating the pusher,

1n Witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand and aflixed my seal, this 10th day of May, A. D. 1907.

Jenn ilowAnn MoELaor, M. S. llnnnnn.

55.;0111, the

plunger 

